Is Jack Ivankovic the Future of Canadian Goaltending?

Rookie Jack Ivankovic has won this week's Goaltender of the Week, which begs the question — is he the face of the future for young Canadian goaltenders in Canada?

Mississauga Steelheads rookie goaltender Jack Ivankovic has been named OHL Goaltender of the Week, with two wins and a 1.50 GAA.

Now, Ivankovic has a 12-4-4 record this season, with a 2.68 GAA overall.

Jack Ivankovic has had the privilege of playing for his hometown team in his rookie season, sharing the crease with fellow young goaltender Ryerson Leenders. These two have incredibly bright futures as professional goaltenders, but Ivankovic is on another level.

It is extremely rare to see goaltenders play in their first year eligible in the OHL, but Ivankovic has been able to play and succeed as a 2007-born netminder. He was selected 7th overall in the 1st round of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection by Mississauga, and has been regarded as a top goaltending prospect out of Canada.

In recent years, there haven't been many NHL goaltenders coming up from Canada, especially in Ontario. Ivankovic may just be the change of that, as he has the potential to be a truly great goaltender in this generation.

In the crease, Ivankovic has it all. He has the flexibility and agility to make last-minute reaction saves, but he is also disciplined positionally when he needs to be. He doesn't get himself out of position often, and he never shows a lack of fight. Ivankovic is never down-and-out of a play. 

The fact that Ivankovic has been in the crease consistently for the Steelheads as a sixteen-year-old rookie this season speaks to his maturity. Ivankovic hasn't skipped a beat since making the jump to major junior from AAA, where he played with the Mississauga Sens organization.

He has the foundation and all the tools to be an elite goaltender at the NHL level one day, and the sky's the limit for the sixteen-year-old. In his draft season next year, he could very well be a top pick and the top goaltender chosen.